Cadaver lifter



Sept. 21, 1948- Filed July 5. 1945 B. A. H owER` GADAVR LIFTER 4 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 21, 1948. B. A. AHowER cADAvER LIFTER Filed July 3. 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 B. A. HOWER cADAvE'R LIFTER Sept. 21, 1948.

4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 5, 1945 sept. 21,- 194s.

B. A. HOWER CADAVER LIFTER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July V5, 1945 Patented Sept. 21, 1948 UNITED stars CABAVER LIF'EER Bruce A. Hcwer, Gary, Ind. Application .lluly 3, 1945, Serial No. 603,020 4 Claims. (Cl. 527-28) rrhis invention relates to a lifting means for lifting a cadaver or body from an undertakers table. v

An object of this invention isto provide a lifting means which may be partly secured to one end Another object of this invention is to provide y a device of this kind which includes a movable jack adapted to be positioned at one end of the working table and also includes a roel; lever to which body supporting bands are adapted `to be connected, so that when the jack is raised to rock the lever the body will thereby be lifted from the table and the jack being mounted on castors can then be shifted to a positiony where the body may overlie the coffin and may then be lowered into the cofn.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of this kind which is simpl-e in construction andwhich can be adapted to the present parts of an undertakers tableand may be readily removed therefrom when desired.

A further obiect of this invention is to provide a device of this kind which is so constructed that it will firmly support the body at a plurality of points therealong in order that the body will not be disturbed as it is being moved from the table to the coffin. i

To the foregoing objects, and others which may hereinafter more fully appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be more specifically referred to and illustrated in the ac-V companying drawingsibut it is to be understood that changes, variations, and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In. the drawings: l

Figure 1 is a, detail side elevation of a lifting device constructed Vaccording to an embodiment of this invention disposed in operative position with respect to an undertakers table,

Figure 2 is a detail end elevation of the device shifted to a position for lowering the body into the coffin, the lever and supporting straps being omitted for vfacility of reference, n

Figure 3 is a vertical section of the lifting jack,

Figure 4 is a, bottom plan of the jack base with the'castors removed,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view `taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical section of the clamp for securing one end of the lever or lifting bar to the table,

Figure '7 is a fragmentary vertical section of one of the supporting straps,

'Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line -S of Figure 7,

Figure 9 is a fragmentary vertical section of the yoke or head at ythe upper end of the jack,

Figure 10 is a sectional view tak-en on the line iii- Ill of Figure 3, and

Figure l1 is a fragmentary sectional view of one of the castor mountings.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l5 designates generally an undertakers table which includes a base It having positioned therein a hydraulic means and a plunger I1 adapted to be moved upwardly from the base lo. The plunger Il has secured to the upper end thereof an elongated body supporting table i8. The table structure l5 is of conventional construction and is here shown as an example of an'undertakers table with which the lifting means to be hereinafter described may be combined. The table or top i8 includes a top plate l having depending side flanges and end flanges 2l.

After the body B has been properly treated on top of the table i8, it must be bodily lifted from the table into the coffin C. In order to provide a means whereby one person may readily lift the body B from the table without disturbing the condition or arrangement of the body I have provided an elongated lifting bar Z2. The bar 22 at one end thereof is adapted to engage between the upright arms 23 of a U-shaped supporting member 24, which is carried by elongated shaft 25. A set screw 2d is threaded through one of the arms 23 and is adapted to engage the adjacent side of the bar 22 so as to hold this bar against undue endwise movement while at the same time permitting slight rocking movement of the bar 22. The shaft 25 is firmly secured with respect to the table i8 by means of'a c clamp 21. The C clamp 21 includes an upper jaw 28 and a lower movable jaw 2S carried by a threaded shaft 3G. The shaft 3@ is threaded through one arm 3l of the C clamp 2l and is provided with a wheel or operating member 32 at its lower end.

The clamp 21 has extending from the vertical side 33 thereof a lug or guide member 34 having opening 35 therethrough and through which the shaft 25 is adapted to engage. A set screw 36 is threaded through the lug or guide im and bears against the shaft 35 so that the latter may be readily adjusted vertically with respect to the C clamp 25. The opposite end of the bar 22 engages in a U-shaped head 31 carried by a threaded jack shaft 38. The shaft 38 has threaded thereon a nut 39 which upon adjustment is adapted t0 raise or lower the shaft 3B. rEhe head 3l is swivelly mounted von theupper end of the shaft 38 by means ofa cap screw it which extends through an opening 4| formed in the bight (l2 of the head 3'? and is threaded into the upper end of the shaft 38. A set screw 43 extended into the shaft 38 isadapted to lock the cap screw 48 and prevent rotation thereof with respect to the shaft' 3B. The nut 39, which may be constructed in the form of a hand wheel, is rotatably carried by the upper end of a tubular standard lill. The standard 4d is provided at its upper end with an annular flange :l which is encompassed by a flanged ring 46 secured by fastening members''! to the lower side of the nut 39; In this-manner thenut Suis rotatably secured to the upper end of the tubular standard 44.

The standard 44 is carried by a substantially pyramid-shaped base 48 andthe standard' dll extends downwardly through the apex of thebase 43 and has extending upwardly into the lower end thereof a holding pin 4Q; The pin de is xedly secured to and extends upwardly 'from a transm verse supporting bar 55, which is formed at the oppositeends thereof with downwardly extending flanges 5|. The base d3 'includes a vertically disposed apron or flange 52 which'is offset, as indicated vat 53, from the base of the pyramid-shaped base member 48. The apron 52 at its'upper portionhas extending inwardly therefrom a pair of bars dwhich are formed with depending flanges 55'confronting'the flanges 52 and secured to the latter by fastening devices 55. The corners of the apron 52have mounted therein blocks 5i in which castor securing pins 58 are mounted. A plurality of castors, generally designated as 59, are disposed inside the apron 52 and include an inverted U-shaped memberv il; which'is formed in the bightl thereof with a ball'race S2. A` complementary ball race 63 is disposed aboveA the race 52 and anti-friction balls 64 are disposed between the two races. The pin or stud 58 is formed with a reduced lower end portion 65' which extends through'the race 63 and the bight 6l and is secured by means of a nut 66 threaded on a threaded stud or extension 61.

At the time work is initially started in preparing the'body'B on the table i8, a plurality of flexible straps 68 are inserted beneath the body and may initially be left hanging atthe opposite sides of thetable I8. The straps-58 after the body hasY been prepared are then threaded through an eye 53 carried by a hook l5. The hook lll engages a loop ll; which is slidable along the length ofV ther bar 22 and may be secured in selected position along the length of the bar 22.- `by meansA of a set screw l2.

In the use and operation of this lifting device, at the time the body B isinitially laid on the table top I8, the straps 63 may be opened and left in a depending position beneath the body; In the present instance there are three of these strapsv 68 which are positioned at` spaced points along the body so that the latter may be lifted without disturbing the arrangements which are completed prior` to the placementof the body within the coiin. After the 'body has been fullyprepared 4 the straps G8 are slipped through the loops or eyes 59 and then buckled together. The lifting bar 22 may then be connected at one end of the table top 28 by means of the C clamp 2l'. The adjacent end of the bar 22 is vertically adjusted .by means of the adjustable shaft 25 and the set screw 36. The jack shaft 3B is then adjusted to a position where the opposite end of the lifting bar 22 will just about clear the body and permit the hooks'li to be engaged with the. loops 1l. These loops may be tightly secured in'adjusted position lengthwise of the bar 22 by the set screw l2. The nut 39 is then rotated so as to raise the lifting bar 22 and elevate the body from the table I8. The coffin C is positioned at one side of the table structure with the lid open and the jack structure is then bodily shifted laterally to the position shown in Figure 2. The bar 22 will swing horizontally the U-shaped member 24, which is swivelly secured to the upper end of the shaft 22 rotating on the shaft. The coiin may, if desired, be disposed at a slight angle with respect tothe table IS so that the major portion of the body wil'be suspended over the coiiin with the feet extending from the opposite end of the table top I8. The `body may then be lowered into the cofn and the feet which will initially extend from the cofn may be swung inwardly after release. of the ad-y jacent straps 63. With a lifting device as hereindisciosed, the body may be moved from the working table to the coin by one person and the shifting of the body may be effected withoutvdisturbing the arrangement of the parts thereof.

The exact configuration illustrated is regarded as the optimum, but some of the desirable results inherent in this disclosure may be obtained by various slight modifications including some departure from the exact coniiguration shown, and it is therefore requested that the scope of the invention should be regarded as limited only by the terms of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. A lifting means for lifting a body from a table comprising an elongated bar, a vertical rod pivotally secured to one end of saidbar, means removably mounting said rod at-one end of said table, means independent of said table engaging the opposite end of said bar for elevating'the latter, and means supporting the body from said bar.

2. A lifting means for lifting a body from a table comprising an elongated bar, a vertical rod pivotally secured to one end of said bar, a clamp engageable with said table, means adjustably securing said rod to said clamp, means independent of said table engaging the opposite end of said bar for elevating the latter, and means supporting the body from said bar.

3. A lifting means for lifting a body from a table comprising an elongated bar, a Vertical sup'- porting rod pivotally carried by one end ofsaid bar, a clamp engageable with said'table, means adjustably securing said clamp to said table,

r means independentvof said table engageable with the opposite end of said bar for elevating the latter, a plurality of loop members loosely engaging about said bars meanssecuring said loop members in adjusted position, andia plurality'of body supporting straps dependingly engaging said loop members.

4. A lifting means for lifting a body from a table comprising an elongated' bar, a vertical supporting rod pivotally carried by one end of said bar, a clamp engageable with said table; means adjustablysecuring. said claimpltosaid 5 table, screw threaded elevating means independent of said table engageable with the opposite end of said bar for elevating the latter, a plurality of loop members loosely engaging about said bar, means securing said loop members in adjusted position, and a plurality of body supporting straps dependingly engaging said loop members.

BRUCE A. SHOWER..

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number 6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Namev f Date Carter July 27, 1880 Highbarger Jan. 25, 1881 Collins Nov. 11, 1890 Young Oct. 14, 1919 Baker Feb. 27, 1934 Sechrist et' al Mar. 31, 1936 Corrigan Aug. 18, 1936 Kubach June 11, 1940 Jones Oct. 22, 1940 

